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Ben Nelson stands by his key health law vote

“It was one of those difficult decisions,” Nelson said. “We’re not looking into a mirror here. We’re looking at alternatives — that was the decision we had to make.”

Critics, or “partisans” as Nelson calls them, immediately pounced. In floor speeches and millions of dollars of political ads, they all but accused Reid and Nelson of corruption. Even some GOP senators, who got along well with Nelson personally and teamed with him on legislation, said they found the deal detestable.

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“I thought it was an egregious act. … a pretty dumb thing to do,” said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a member of both the Finance and Health committees, which had jurisdiction over the health care bill. Republican Mike Johanns, Nebraska’s other senator and a leading health care law critic, called the episode “embarrassing” for Nebraska. “That’s not who we are,” he told POLITICO.

Nelson later demanded that Reid drop the $100 million Nebraska provision from the reconciliation bill, and he voted against final passage, citing concerns about student loan reforms and other provisions added by the House.

Today, he insists that any backlash from his unpopular health vote — not to mention the Cornhusker Kickback — had nothing to do with his decision last December to forgo a third Senate bid. He still had cash in his campaign coffers, and internal polling had showed him narrowly leading GOP state Attorney General Jon Bruning and state Treasurer Don Stenberg.

But at 70, he longed to fish, hunt, spend time with his grandchildren and cross a few things off his bucket list. He couldn’t imagine committing six more years to the Senate.

“Simply put, it’s time to move on,” Nelson said in a video announcing his retirement.

And yet, with his Senate career coming to a close and his legacy on the line, Nelson is still grappling with what can only be described as a complicated and messy chapter in his 20-year political narrative. Though he’s not on the ballot, Nelson’s name popped up in a radio attack ad by GOP strategist Karl Rove’s American Crossroads, which tried to link the Nebraska deal to Kerrey.

I never have completely made up my mind about Senator Nelson's vote on "Obamacare," but I tend to think he leaned towards trying to have it both ways. But as the article notes, perhaps history will be kinder to him than are his current critics.

I'm not from Nebraska so was unaware to Karl Rove's political attack ad trying to tie Nelson's record to Kerry's. My initial reaction was to be appalled, but then I changed my mind. More typical Karl Rove lies. He has spewed them so long and in such huge numbers no trash that comes from that walking complete waste of valuable air space surprises me, really, anymore.

The so called "Cornhusker Kickback" is literally nothing. Not illegal, just normal legislative horse trading, in the time honored tradition. It was twisted in spin by Republicans to sound unlawful or unethical, which it certainly was not.

In fact, the most offensive political aspects of ObamaCare process was the Republicans refusal to participate as an honest partner in the process. They lied from day one about Death Panels, they negotiated in bad faith in the Gang of 6.

And in the end they had the gall to claim that the bill was passed in the dead of night, shoved down America's through with no Republican votes. As if they were EVER actually on the table. Everyone seems to ignore the Health Care summit where Obama was clearly desperate to get SOME, ANY movement out of Republicans towards his position. He would have HAPPILY negotiated if Republicans would propose policies that got anywhere near Obama's 30 MILLION additional covered.

But they refused, to get a political billy club to bludgeon Democrats with. Crass, oh yes. And about 45% of Americans are downright uninformed enough to believe the Republican line.

In fact, the most offensive political aspects of ObamaCare process was the Republicans refusal to participate as an honest partner in the process. They lied from day one about Death Panels, they negotiated in bad faith in the Gang of 6.

And in the end they had the gall to claim that the bill was passed in the dead of night, shoved down America's through with no Republican votes. As if they were EVER actually on the table. Everyone seems to ignore the Health Care summit where Obama was clearly desperate to get SOME, ANY movement out of Republicans towards his position. He would have HAPPILY negotiated if Republicans would propose policies that got anywhere near Obama's 30 MILLION additional covered.

But they refused, to get a political billy club to bludgeon Democrats with. Crass, oh yes. And about 45% of Americans are downright uninformed enough to believe the Republican line.

Obama and the DEMs mishandled this from the beginning. They mistakenly believed that the GOP would bargain in good faith, not recognizing that McConnell never had any intention of allowing that to happen. He only wanted to bring down Obama, not make an honest effort to address our dysfunctional health care system; the Party comes first. Obama and the DEMs and the country would have been better served if they had just forged ahead instead of trying to appease the unappeasable. This would have shortened the process considerably and short-circuited much of the GOP/Tea Party manufactured drama.

I am very thankful for our health insurance, and even more thankful that we found an affordable one through "Penny Health" online. It has been 6 years that they have not increased my premiums. Having health insurance gives us a peace of mind

that's good, Senator Ben: Just stick with it. It cost you and a lot of your fellow members of Congress their jobs, and, if upheld, will cost us and future generations of Americans our Healthcare and our freedom.

, Nelson has called for modifications to the law’s controversial health insurance mandate — the provision at the heart of the Supreme Court challenge.

Why are Conservatives "flip-flopping" on conservative ideas? Mandate is a Republican Idea and has been a 40 year cornerstone of the "Responsibility Ideology clearly stated in GOP Platforms." Read bills from Republican Congress of the 1990s.

Aside from any State's Rights Issues:

There's also some paper-trail evidence Koch bought 2 Justices for the Citizens United Ruling that gave Non-voters equal 1st Amendment Rights & made PACS or Corporations into people; thus, why no call to Recuse Scalia & Thomas?

Constituents elect a representative to support their point of view. When that point of view is to oppose a piece of legislation, then opposing it is not a "failure to negotiate". It is simply representing the view of their constituents, which is the reason they were elected.

House members must run every two years so as to be close to the voters.

Senate members are to be closer to the entire country.

The Founding fathers provided that members of the House be elected by and represent groups of citizens living in a small geographical district within each state..

Senators, on the other hand, are elected by and represent all voters of their state.

It didn't start that way for Senators.

Senators were sent to Washington because they were "Appointed" by the Governor and why it remains so when there is a mid term opening

When the House considers a bill, individual members tend to base their votes on how the bill will impact the people of their district.

While Senators are supposed to consider how the bill will impact the entire nation as a whole.

Its one of the reasons about even the why the age requirements are put down by the Constitution.

House members are allowed to be younger by law than Senate members because the founding fathers thought of the impetuous nature of the young.

This is what the Founders intended and has served us well UNTIL Congress changed the rules that THEY rule under now ...which occured in 1964..... the Senate adopted a two track method of debating legislation.

Our country has been messed up since then.

Nelson sold his vote and I doubt he knows anything about the Constitution and it's intended use of the Senate.... FOR All of the people in the Nation.